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US State Department officials visit Cuba on April 10, meet Castro’s grandson — Axios

Sources in the US administration told the news portal that US representatives had come to Havana "to urge democratic and economic freedoms" on the island

WASHINGTON, April 18. /TASS/. US State Department officials visited Havana on April 10 for meetings with Cuban officials, including Raul Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of Cuban revolutionary leader Raul Castro, Axios reported on Friday, citing sources in the US administration.

According to the sources, US representatives came to Havana "to urge democratic and economic freedoms" on the island, arguing that the republic’s authorities "have a small window to make key US backed reforms before circumstances irreversibly worsen." In exchange, the US side offered to help lift the Cuban embargo and to provide the island with access to the Starlink satellite services.

Axios noted that State Department representatives also expressed concern about "foreign intelligence, military, and terror groups operating with Cuban governmental permission less than 100 miles (160 kilometers - TASS) from the American homeland." According to the outlet, the visit by the US delegation "marks a diplomatic breakthrough," as a US government aircraft landed on the island for the first time in 10 years since the visit by former US President Barack Obama.

On March 5, US President Donald Trump announced that Washington intends to develop a further course of action regarding Cuba after concluding the military operation against Iran. Previously, he had repeatedly said that Cuba’s government and economy were on the verge of collapse following the cessation of oil supplies to the island nation from Venezuela under pressure from the US. On February 27, Trump stated that the US could carry out a "friendly takeover of Cuba."

On March 13, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel reported that Havana and Washington had held talks that "were aimed at finding solutions through dialogue on bilateral differences." Meanwhile in February, Axios reported, citing sources, that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is secretly discussing the island’s future with Castro’s grandson.

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